Lotus
by Raven Morning
Summary: A series of brutal murders have got the Titans roped into the polices' investigation and tracking down the sole suspect. But they prove more elusive then they had expected. When they are offered help by a woman who claims to have been tracking him, can...
1. Chapter 1

_**A series of brutal murders have got the Titans roped into the polices' investigation and tracking down the sole suspect. But they prove more elusive then the Titans had expected. When they are offered help by a woman who claims to have been tracking the murderer, can they trust each other enough to work together, or will suspicion consume them?**_

**I don't own Teen Titans!**

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The brutal mess that lay smeared across the pavement smelled of gore and decay. Black asphalt contrasted with the bright red scarlet of blood. Body parts and scraps of skin and bone littered the ground. White sheets lay over what remained of the unfortunate victims of the attack. Police and ambulance workers stood around, heads down, murmuring to each other. Thankfully, a tent was set up around the entirety of the mess to hide it from curious passersby. As extra precaution, cop cars were parked on either end of the street to prevent cars from passing.

Five citizens, however, were allowed to enter the accident site and go past the barricades to witness the aftermath first hand.

When Robin first stepped into the tent, his first instinct was to turn back and empty his stomach on the pavement. But, with his four teammates behind him waiting, he knew he had to set an example as a leader and continue on. He surveyed the damage done and could only ask himself, "What on earth would do this?" He heard Starfire's stifled cry as she too entered. He turned to look at her. One hand was cupped over her mouth. Her other arm was wrapped around her middle. She glanced at him, tears in her eyes.

"_X'hal_." she whispered tremulously. "What horror is this?" Cyborg followed her. His repulsion was stronger then Robin's. He closed his eyes in grief, calling back to Beastboy who had yet to come in.

"BB, you might not want to see this. If you want to close your eyes, no one will hold it against you."

"Is it that bad?" the reply came.

"Oh yeah. It's- it's massacre."

"Maybe I'll just morph into a bat. Then I won't have to see anything."

"Whatever you want B."

Robin walked further into the mess, towards a small table set up in the corner of the tent. One man in uniform stood hunched over a folder.

"Captain Hughes." he addressed the police captain. The portly man looked up, a grim expression on his aged face.

"Robin." He looked past the Titan leader and acknowledged the other four with a nod. "We have a suspect, confirmed by five eye witnesses." Hughes held up a photo. "This was taken by one of the witnesses during the attack." Robin came closer, taking the photo and studying it. It was of a pale, thin man. His eyes were beady, his stare haunting, tortured. His cheekbones were peaked, his cheeks hollow, and his face unshaven. Blood coated his hands and lower jaw. Robin had a chilling feeling that the blood was not his own. "This is the most recent picture of the suspect so far. We don't have a name yet, but we're working on it." Robin nodded, handing the picture back to the captain.

"Any idea where he went?"

"None at all. We do know that he's incredibly gifted."

"Powers?" Robin asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, not exactly. He's one of those prodigies from birth you hear about every so often. He also shows some...vampiric traits." Cyborg snorted.

"Vampiric. As in Dracula?" He gestured to the mangled bodies behind them. "Last time I watched a sci fi flick, vamps don't tear apart their victims. Just bite their necks." Hughes' frown deepened.

"He's not an actual vampire. But he has a penchant for blood. He drinks the blood of his victims. Sometimes he even goes as far as to eat their hearts." Starfire shuddered.

"Yet he is not a vampire? Just a human?"

"Yes."

"His motivation?" Robin asked, taking Starfire's hand to comfort her.

"We don't know."

"So what, the dude just came in and started killing people?" Beastboy said, morphing back to human form and covering his eyes with a gloved hand. Despite his being a superhero, Beastboy still had a somewhat fragile, innocent mind. He was easily traumatized by things like this. The team knew, and respected, this fact.

"No big monologue on how he was getting revenge on the world for daddy not caring enough?" Raven added.

"No. Just waltzed up to the nearest civilian and...went to town on him." Somehow, such a light phrase didn't seem to fit the current situation.

"So," Robin had to force himself to turn and look at the carnage. "who are our victims? How many?" It was hard to tell how many there were when they were in so many pieces.

"Three. David Denton, male, 32 years of age. He worked in Jump City Bank as a teller. Selena Goh, female, 51. She retired five years ago and lived in the suburbs of Jump. The last victim is one Ferril Keen, female, 25 years. She- She was eight months pregnant and on maternity leave."

Starfire didn't bother holding in her tears at that point.

"And the child?" Raven asked softly, receding further back into her cloak.

"We weren't able to save the baby..."

Robin squeezed the bridge of his nose, eyebrows furrowing deeply. "Who _is _this man?"

"Not a man. A monster." Cyborg muttered.

"He seems to have no specific targets. All three victims were completely unrelated and unlinked from one another."

"Random targeting, brutal tactics, total disregard for human life, no obvious motivation... sounds like we have a very dangerous, very ill psychotic man on our hands."

"So, we have your cooperation on this investigation then?" Captain Hughes asked. Robin looked back at his team, who all nodded solemnly.

"Absolutely."

"Thank you for your assistance. It'll go a long way to catching this freak."

"You'll alert us with any updates?" Robin asked.

Hughes nodded, shaking Robin's hand before heading back to his table to study further. Robin signaled his team to follow him out of the tent. When they were far from the haunting site, they gathered to accept their assignments.

"Starfire, Beastboy, take to the skies and try to find this guy. Cyborg, do anything you can to track this guy's record down. I want his name, where he lives, and his past criminal offenses." Cyborg nodded.

"Got it."

"Raven, I want you to question the witnesses. Learn _everything_ they know. As for me, I'm heading for the streets to see if I can stir something up... Titans, **move!**"

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**So, what did you think? Review please!**

**An OC will be introduced into the story later on, so please keep reading!**


	2. Chapter 2

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**Next chapter is when you meet the OC. This chapter is basically just leading up to that point, with a bit of info on our baddie thrown in.** **Please don't forget to rreview! **

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"No, no- please!" A fist collided with the begging addicts jaw. He coughed, wincing. "I don't know anything!" he shouted.

"Bullshit!" came the sharp reply. Robin hit the man again, low in the stomach, eliciting another cry of pain. "Everyone in this city knows that you deal from the corner of that street! There's no way in hell you didn't see anything!" The gaunt man cringed at Robin's sharp tone.

"Look, I can't tell you anything that you don't already know." Robin pulled back his fist and he flinched. "Okay, okay! Just please, let me go." Robin eyed the man before stepping back, releasing the collar of the dealer's shirt. He immediately dropped to the ground, coughing and rubbing his neck. Glowering up at Robin, he muttered, "Asshole."

"You want to end up back in Jump Penitentiary?" The man glowered up at him and shook his head slowly. "Then cut the crap and start talking."

"Okay. I just made this deal with a neighboring um- _'businessman'_ when this real pale guy walks past me. First I think, 'Hey, new customer!' 'Cause the guy looked like a serious user who was jonesing for a rush."

"He looked like an addict? Could you tell for sure if he was one?" The dealer shrugged.

"Eh, he was pale, trembling, and a bit jumpy. Tell tale signs of an addict. But I don't know, I could be wrong. Anyways, like I was saying- the freak just walked past me and out into the traffic. People were real pissed off, honking their horns and stuff. One car slammed on their brakes to avoid hitting him. So he goes up to that car's driver door and smashes the window, pulling the guy right out onto the street. I figured it was just a car jacking, but then the guy leans down and bites the guys neck. Kinda like a vampire, but kinda like a zombie too 'cause he just pulled back, ripping the skin off. It was... it was sick. So I just turned and walked away, thinking, 'Screw sales, I'm not gonna stick around 'til the cops get here.'"

"There. That enough info for you?" Robin nodded, heading his way out of the filthy alley.

"Thanks for your help. I catch you out here dealing again though, I'm sending you in."

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Three hours later, five exhausted Titans trudged back into their tower's main room, collapsing on the sofa. Robin, however, went to the front of the room to look at all his friends.

"Titans, report."

"So far, Beastboy and I have not been successful at finding the terrible man." Starfire said, hanging upside down off the sofa.

"We have no clue which direction he went when he fled the scene though," Beastboy pointed out. "so we're having to blanket the _entire_ city. It's gonna take some time."

"Raven?"

"The witnesses are having a hard time retelling what they saw. I think they're in a bit of shock. I did get a few things. Nothing too substantial though."

"How's your research so far Cy?"

"This guy's practically a ghost. I ran the picture Capt. Hughes faxed me through the scanner and I did a few face analysis matches, but nothing is showing up. He's not in any mug shot books either. It's like he doesn't exist...Good news is I got an appointment to meet with the chief of police tomorrow."

"You think she'd be able to help us dude?" Cyborg shrugged.

"I don't know. But it's worth a try." Robin grinned.

"Way to plan ahead Cyborg. Great work." The cybernetic man yawned in return.

"Speaking of planning ahead, I think I'm going to get some rest before another long day of searching. I suggest y'all do the same." He cast a wary and stern glance at the group before heading out the door, keying in the tower's security code as he went. The Titans were like younger siblings to him, considering he was older then all of them. He felt very protective of them, and even though Robin was the leader, Cyborg often stepped up and played the parental leader role for the team. Hell, someone had to look after BB and Star. He mused about this, smirking slightly, as he walked down the long, twisting hallways to his room where he shut down for the night.

Shortly after, Raven and Beastboy followed suit. Only Starfire and Robin remained. Starfire floated off of the sofa, anxious for some well deserved rest. She look expectantly at Robin, waiting for him to get up and join her. But instead, he moved to the large window that looked out onto the rolling ocean and coastline of Jump City. His well muscled arms crossed against his chest as a brooding expression that Star knew all too well came over his face.

"Robin," she began softly. "staying up all night will not help us come any closer to the vampire man. If nothing else, it will only tire you and hinder your fighting capabilities."

It seemed like Robin entirely ignored her when he said, "He could be out there right now. Killing. A child, and elderly person, anyone. And we can't save them because we have no idea who this man is."

"Please," she begged. "do not make this an obsession. I don't want to lose you to him like we lost you to Slade." She saw Robin stiffen.

"You didn't lose me Star," he growled. "I'm still here, aren't I?" Starfire sighed, giving up.

"That's not what I meant..." Turning, she left the Boy Wonder to his own mind, to torture himself in the darkness for something he could not control. And as she was fading off to sleep, Starfire wept for him.

* * *

"Thanks for your help." Cyborg said, accepting another file from the chief of police. "It's been impossible finding this guy."

"Anything for a Titan." she replied, sitting down behind her desk. Cyborg flipped open the file and quickly scanned the papers inside. The criminal in the folder was a creep, definitely, but not the one they needed. "Anything?"

"Nope." He placed the folder on the growing pile on the chiefs desk. "This guys MO is completely unique. You'd know it instantly if you saw it." He glanced up at the relatively young woman. "How long have you had this job anyway?"

"I'm new. It is that obvious?" she asked, self consciously smoothing her suit and fixing her bun. Cyborg smiled.

"No, it's just the Titans work closely with the police. You're a new face I haven't seen before." A knock came at the door, followed by a timid voice.

"Chief?"

"Diana, come in." A mousy woman opened the door and toddled in, clutching a sheaf of papers.

"We think we may have found the solution to our problem." The chief grinned, throwing a glance at Cyborg.

"We've found someone willing to talk?"

"No, but we have the next best thing."

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**Review please!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Aaaand, enter Lotus! I know it's kind of going slow right now, but please be patient. It'll speed up soon.**

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Cyborg found himself being led through the DA's office building by the frizzled Diana. He towered over her by at least a foot and a half, so they looked rather comical walking side by side.

"So, what's going to help us find this guy?" he asked.

"Not what, so much as who."she replied enigmatically.

"So, it's a person? Like, a detective or a cop? Another superhero maybe?" She chuckled.

"You'll see for yourself. Just be patient." He groaned, hating all this stalling and vagueness. He was a 'straight-to-the-point' kind of guy. Obviously Diana wasn't.

They finally came to a door labeled Captain Hughes. She reached out and tapped on the door.

"Hughes? _He's_ our answer?" Cyborg exclaimed disbelievingly. "We just talked to him yesterday and he was just as confused as we were!"

"Capt. Hughes?" She cocked an eyebrow and laughed. "Oh, no, not him."

"Then who?!" At this point, Cyborg wanted to shove his head through a wall.

"Come in." A casual voice came from the other side of the door. Diana opened it and slowly poked her head in.

"Cyborg from the Titans is here. You did want to speak to him, right?" Meanwhile, Cyborg was trying to peek through the small crack to see who this mystery person was.

"Of course. What're you doing keeping him out there? Let him in!" Diana blushed and retreated from the door, allowing Cyborg's bulky frame room enough to walk in.

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He took a cursory glance around the room. He saw Capt. Hughes desk, his name placard, several photos of him with they mayor and various cops. A large window on the far wall provided bright, sunny light to flood the room. A small love seat was placed by the window. On it, lounged a figure flipping through a magazine. It was a woman, no older then Cyborg, and very small. She looked up with bright green eyes and smiled, the eyebrow piercing and labret in her lip glinting in the sunlight. She stood up off the sofa and hurried over to him, extending a golden skinned hand.

"You must be Cyborg. I'm very happy to finally meet you." Cyborg stood, gape mouthed, before slowly shaking her hand. "I'm Lotus. I'll be helping you with your investigation." She sported a business suit that clashed with the all together rogue air about her. It was like her whole entire being was one big contradiction.

"You're our help?!" he finally managed to say.

"Well, yeah." She raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"I was expecting a policeman, or maybe FBI, but you-?" Her eyes flashed.

"I'm Capt. Hughes' daughter. I am perfectly acquainted with the legal system and criminals." Cyborg snorted.

"Believe me, we are more then acquainted. We deal with them day to day."

"So I assume you're perfectly _acquainted_ with one Akimil Evengi?" she shot back, a taunting tone to her question.

"Akimil who?"

"Akimil Evengi. A man wanted in seven countries for mass murder, conspiracy to commit murder, rape, assault, and other things I'd really rather not mention. A man who kills mercilessly for the sheer arousal and thrill. A man who drink his victims blood. Ring any bells?"

"You know our suspects name? How?" She smirked.

"So you admit I'm more acclimated then you had assumed?" Cyborg scowled.

"Do you think this is a game?" he accused.

"No. But I think it's funny you're underestimating your only chance at finding Akimil." Cyborg hesitated, holding his reply back. "So, are you going to listen to me, or not?"

"...I think Robin would want to be here when you tell us what you know."

"Only, I have one condition." He raised a brow, his robotic eye sparking.

"That would be-?"

"I work with the Titans on and off the field. When you track him, I'll be right by your side, helping, When you fight him, I'll be fighting him too."

"No! Absolutely not!" Cyborg exclaimed, appalled by the gal of this woman. "We won't have baggage like you dragging us down."

"'Baggage'?!" she yelled, outraged. "This _baggage_ has the information your hoity-toity leader would kill for! And just so you know, I can fend for my own self. So take your damn opinion and shove it up your hard drive along with this!" She extended a rude hand gesture in his face and huffed away, standing cross armed and glaring out the window.

Cyborg's eyes glinted with mal content as he stared heatedly at her retreating back. "Fine. I'll tell Robin about you. We'll what he has to say after this."

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**Short chapter. Review, please!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Another short chapter. Behold-**** Lotus in all her show offy glory! Heh, believe me, it gets worse.**

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Their pounding footsteps sounded small and hollow as they ran through the winding desert highway. Dust picked up behind their heels, leaving sand and grit in the each others face. One chased the other; hunter and prey; convict and executioner. Not a soul was for miles. It seemed like this was what people meant when they used the cliche "middle of no where". The stars in the night sky and the sleeping buzzards were the only witnesses to this lonely little pursuit.

Lotus' lungs burned with the lack of rest and the dry desert air. Still, she pressed forward. Her target was of the utmost importance in her investigation. The piece of street trash was a recruit of a man that goes by Red Fist, who deals and trades directly with Akimil's associates. With a few painful questions, Lotus might be able to extract the location of Red Fist. From there, it was just a matter of fighting her way up the criminal underworld ladder, rung by filthy rung.

The chase continued for another two miles before the underling collapsed with exhaustion. Lotus approached the sprawled figure, menacing in her posture and disposition. They looked wearily up at her as they struggled to gulp down more warm air. It was a tattered young man, about 16. He looked worse for the wear- his clothes were caked with dirt and dust. He seemed underfed and unwashed.

"So, you done running now?" He nodded. "Good." For measure, she put her shoe in his side, causing him to curl inward, coughing. She crouched down, trying to see the boys face. "You work for Red Fist, don't you?"

"Prove it." he said. She ripped the top of his shirt, revealing two stylized red fists gripping writhing snakes tattooed on both pectoral muscles. She shook her head, chuckling.

"Not to subtle, kid. Might as well have tattooed 'Property of Red Fist' on your thick forehead."

"I'm proud of my tats, _puta_." He scowled and spat in her face. She punched him square in the jaw.

"Proud enough to go to Sinn County for ten years?" He remained silent. "Give me want I want to know, and you might go free."

"That's bull!" he swore. "You think I'm gonna squeal? I'm loyal to my crew." Lotus shifted her fierce gaze to him, and he froze.

"Oh, don't worry," she cooed darkly. "We'll fix that."

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"_You said no?!_" Robin shouted.

"Well, I didn't have much of a choice, now did I?" Cyborg shot back, glaring at his counterpart.

"Yes, you did! You could have set aside your own selfish emotions and accepted her help!" Their voices echoed, large and loud in the empty garage. "But you didn't. You put yourself before the mission."

"No, I put _her_ before the mission. She just would've gotten hurt! You know the repercussions of our work Robin."

"But do you know the repercussions of not capturing this man- this Akimil?" Cyborg crossed his arms over his wide metal chest. "Do you know what he's doing out there Cyborg? Right now?" The smaller man approached him, getting in his face. "He's killing. He's maiming. Children. Old ladies. Teenagers like you and me. Need I remind you of the first incident? What it looked like?" Cyborg turned his head away and looked down. After few taut seconds, he replied.

"So that makes it my fault?"

"It makes you partly responsible." With that condemning sentence, Robin drew away, walking over to lean against a cold concrete wall. Cyborg shuffled his feet, still unable to meet Robin's accusing eyes. As the quiet stretched on, the familiar beep of the Titans communicator went off, sounding cheery in comparison to the dark silence. Robin pulled out his communicator and flipped it open, revealing the green countenance of the resident changeling.

"What do you want Beastboy?" Robin reprimanded. "I told you and the others to leave us alone."

"I know, but this is _really_ important! Cy," He directed his attention to Cyborg. "some crazy chick sent us a video transmission. She's connected to our communication line in the main room, and she's demanding to talk to you and Robin."

"She can wait until we're done." Robin dismissed.

"But dude, I was in the middle of Mega Monkey 4, and I can't play until she's off the tv!" the changeling wailed. "Please- like, right now!"

"Fine, fine." Robin agreed, looking somewhat annoyed by his pestering. "Keep her on the line. We'll be up soon."

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"Titans, do you know who this is?" Lotus asked, gesturing behind her. All five superheroes stared intently at the roped, bloodied man she had propped up against a lone shrub in the background.

"With all that blood, I don't believe anyone could tell." Starfire said, cringing.

"Of course, of course." she laughed. "You're not familiar with this particular lead, are you?" Cyborg shrank under Robin's glare. "This is Verne Tray, a man under the command of the drug lord Red Fist."

"And this is relevant to our guy how?" Raven asked over the top of her ancient tome.

"Red Fist is the leading crime king pin of Sinn District in Arizona. He controls all drug trades, all blood and dirty money transactions, even hostage negotiations. He caters to all kinds of low life- including Akimil's associates."

"Akimil?" Robin shot up from his spot next to Starfire. "You know where Akimil is?"

"Slow down Robin," Lotus said. "I didn't say that, now did I? It's not going to be that easy. I managed to get Red Fists location out of him, but the kid doesn't know anything else."

"How can you be sure?" Robin pressed.

"Believe me," She met him with a flat gaze. "I made sure." Starfire inched closer to Cyborg, unsettled by her tone. Lotus was nearly as frightening as Robin was when he got into that frame of mind. "Now, finding Red Fist will be easy. Getting into his head quarters won't. He deals out of an abandoned set of ware houses in the outskirts of Sinn. There are far too many warehouses for me to check without being captured halfway through. I need more people to help me; I need your team to help me. In return, I'll relay the information I receive from Red Fist to you. After that, it's up to you what to do with it. Can I get your cooperation on this?" Robin hesitated.

"You're sure the information you got from Verne is correct? Because I refuse to let my team walk in on a trap."

"Absolutely. I even cross referenced the information with other cases involving Red Fist. It all leads to the warehouses." Robin glanced back at Raven, who nodded. She had previously agreed to do a quick run through of Lotus' emotions and thoughts during the conversation for any signs of betrayal. Apparently, Lotus was all clear. Some things Raven had found aroused her curiosity but that would have to be dealt with later. Getting the okay, Robin returned to Lotus.

"...Alright. You have a deal."

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**Review please! And please, don't be afraid to crit my work! Writers thrive on criticism.  
**

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	5. Chapter 5

**I haven't put a disclaimer before, but I will now. I don't own anything! **

**Oh, and** **review too, please! It feeds my inner writer.**

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It was during a rust colored sunset, behind an old, abandoned gas station that they met. It was nothing more then two old fashioned pumps, displaying the gas prices as no more then a dollar. The windows were dust smeared and cloudy. The walls were graffitied, dirty, and weather worn. The open sign had long burnt out, and the locks on the doors had rusted in place.

The Titans knelt near the side wall, ignoring the rotting stench of garbage wafting from around the back. Lotus ignored it all and studied on the map rolled out in front of her.She had a pen in her hand and was marking various points. The sun was just disappearing behind the flat deserted horizon, casting their long shadows into darkness. Robin frowned as he surveyed their rendezvous point.

"Why did you pick here?" he asked rather snappishly.

"Because it's the only building with in five miles of the warehouses, and because no one lives here anymore. They've all moved to Sinn District's urban regions." she replied, not looking up from the map.

"So, it's like a modern ghost town?" Beastboy asked, watching a lizard enjoy it's last ray of sunbathing.

"Pretty much. Which makes it all the better for Red Fist to work and ship from here."

"No police to catch him, and no citizens to turn him in." Robin said, catching on. Lotus smiled.

"Exactly."

"What I want to know," Cyborg said. "is how you got to Arizona and caught the snitch so quickly." She didn't seem to bend under his stare- simply just shrugged and said,

"Same way you did I guess."

"Right. In a car modified with all the latest models sold on the highest automobile markets in the world, able of going an excess of 250 mph with a fully functional defense system. Of course you did." Ignoring him, she pressed on to the utmost importance of the topic at hand.

"Now, I've figured out a way to get to Red Fist's main hideout with the least risk of being seen. We just have to keep low, and quiet. There will be a few foot soldiers on look out, but if we avoid them, we'll be golden."

"Or," Robin suggested, turning to Raven. "maybe you could give us a hand?" Raven shook her head.

"I can't unless I see a picture of the place I'm taking you to. You know that Robin."

"You can take us right outside the kingpin's door?" Raven nodded uncertainly. She grinned wildly. "Excellent! Then feast your eyes on these babe." Lotus dug through the many pockets of her black cargo shorts and pulled out three rumpled snapshots. "The three entrance points to Red Fists heart of operation. You drop some of us at each point, there's no way in hell he can stop us all. Thing is, I don't know what warehouse it's in. That's why the more ground we can cover, the better." Raven examined each entrance point. One was a small window, blocked partially by rotten wooden crates. Another was metal door with a padlock. The last was a section of caved in ceiling leading down to what seemed to be a storage room.

Raven tossed the second picture into the center of the group. "How do you plan to get through that door without raising alarm?" she asked, tucking the rest into her cloak.

"Just...leave that door to me, okay? This whole mission should be smooth sailing." She stretched her legs out and layed back, arms crossed under her head like a pillow. "Just wait until moon rise..."

* * *

It was an amazing night. Not only for a raid, but just to be out in the wilderness. The velvet sky was shimmering with a myriad of falling stars, each like a dying Atlantis. Lotus caught herself staring in awe every couple of minutes, perched atop a rock to get a better view of the land ahead. Starfire, that curious orange alien, would join her in her wonderment, squealing over a particularly bright star. She'd tug on Robin, who would satisfy her by halfing a glance, then urging her to continue on and keep quiet.

Raven kept to herself by the back of the group, studying the photos Lotus gave her earlier and prepping herself for the fight to come. Beastboy flew in circles above the group in vulture form, mimicking the other birds out for a late night meal. Cyborg though, he stayed far from Lotus, tagging along near Raven. She could sense his distrust and frustration with her. Sure, there was a basic reason that she understood- she undermined his authority and standing with Robin. But among all the Titans, she expected to get along with him best- it was almost ironic...

Once again shaking out of a revere, she leaped to a new perch some yards ahead. If he proved a further problem though, she could take care of him easily.

The ware houses loomed in the darkness like ghosts, shambles of what they once were. Tiny figures roamed from building to building, each either armed or carrying large sacks of some sort. A quiet hum had fallen over the entire yard, both of machinery and quiet murmurings of worker to worker. Lotus ducked back behind the large bolder perched on the edge of the declining hill.

"Okay, it looks safe to move. Everyone got their missions?" Each nodded, well practiced in their craft and ready to go at it. She smiled. "Well, let's catch us a Red Fist."

* * *

Panting, she ran into yet another empty store room, faced only with stacked wooden boxes of old or faulty product. "Damn it!" she spat. This and three other identical rooms before it had her wondering if her intel really was the truth or if she just got the rotten warehouse of the bunch. She pulled out a buddy communicator, a lend from Robin, and radioed in. "Anyone else having a dead night?"

"Seems pretty empty in here."

"Same here dude."

"Robin and I are experiencing otherwise!" Starfire's voice came, filled with the struggle and rush of battle. A scream of pain filled the back ground.

"You keep where you are!" Robin added, the resounding explosion of a bomb disk fading his words. "We'll call you when we need your help."

Lotus grimaced. Her mission, yet they were getting the action. She holstered the radio and continued on. The tell tale click of a cocking gun behind her froze her on the spot.

"Red Fist crony, eh?" she asked, her voice stark against the quiet. "What are you doing away from the party the rest of your buddies are having in Warehouse 3? Robin and Star are getting a kick outta disabling you guys."

"I'm gonna 'disable' you little girl- blow by blow." the rough voice replied. She laughed.

"No, no, you see," She tapped her chest, the feel of hard material under her fingertips. "this is Kevlar. Can't shoot through that."

"Then I'll start with your legs and move up. How's that sound?" The trigger clicked three times; the blast of the gunshot deafened her. But the bullets never met their fleshy target. Instead, they hovered, trembling, about one inch away from the back of Lotus' kneecaps. The girl herself was standing stock still, he face screwed up in concentration. One eye popped open once she realized the lack of pain she was going through. Safe, she gave a sigh of relief before whipping around and casting her hand outwards in an arc- encompassing him. The bullets careened around at her command and ripped through him- two in the chest, one in the neck. He choked, blood bubbling up through gaped lips.

"And I'll start with your life. Seem fair?" His body crumpled to the floor with a thud. She walked up to him and removed the gun from his chilling fingers, emptying it's cartridge and disassembling it to basic parts. She crouched down to check his clothes. Small grenades, a sample bag of H, a switch knife, and... She nearly shouted with joy when she uncovered his radio walkie, on and buzzing with active voices.

"Guys, I've hit the proverbial fucking jackpot!" she exclaimed in a hushed voice. Three voices came back at once. Starfire's was one of reprimand for such language, Robin's was one of immediate clarification, and Beastboy's was of curiosity. "I've lifted a radio off of a crony body in Warehouse 5. It's buzzing with these sleazes. Apparently Rob and Star have been making a huge dent in their armed forces?" she mentioned with mirth lilting in her voice. Robin brushed it off.

"Yeah, yeah. What have they been saying?"

"Give me a moment Boy Wonder." She silenced the Titans radio and tuned into the her stolen prize.

"...every warehouse...filled with these kids...shot Vic with a laser bolt or something!...I've never seen anything like it...Get all the H and move to the emergency exit!...two rooms underground to hide the drugs from the feds. We'll store it there. Protect Red Fist too...Warehouse 4, top room..."

"Shit!" She threw down the walkie, breaking it. "Guys, they're moving all the heroine to a bunch of underground rooms, and all their men up to Red Fist! We have to move now if we want him."

"What house is he in?"

"Four. We'll all meet there and surge the building together. They can't get all of us. They'll all be packing heat, so be careful!"

"Got it." Robin agreed. "Titans, move!"

* * *

Lotus found the group of five huddled near a pile of broken crates. Robin and Starfire definitely looked worse for the wear. Bruises were already darkening on their skin, and small tears marred their uniforms. The other three looked tense, but fine. Lotus regarded the four, then their leader. "Got a game plan?"

"Go in blazing, look for the entrances, and make your move."

"Sounds ffine to me." Lotus replied. She turned to the changeling. "Beastboy, I want you to look for that caved in spot in the roof and settle in as some small, unnoticeable creature. Do you do bugs?" He nodded, an elfish grin accompanying it. "Good. Go as discreet as you can, and settle in by the largest group of guards, or where ever you feel necessary. When we come in, distract them by going carnivorous. Nothing but teeth, claws, and rawr. Got it?"  
"Whatever you want." he replied, before transforming into a dragonfly and flying upwards until he was no longer discernible from the night sky.

"Everyone else? Let's go." They moved as one, quickly and quietly, towards the front doors. Cyborg stood in front, next to Robin, who tossed an exploding disk towards the door. Cyborg aimed his cannon and timed it perfectly- when they disk exploded, the sonic blast amplified it to blow the doors off their sliders and into the waiting sea of thugs. While the smoke still plumed, the Titans struck, expertly taking out the weakest and the smallest first. Some where unwise enough to come unarmed. They got _special_ treatment. Lotus targeted a small group of four nearing an unsuspecting Starfire. She whistled loudly, directing their attention to her.

"Who wants a shot?" she asked, holding out her hands in a 'come and get it' manner. They sized her up before charging at once. Straightforward- not always the best policy. She grabbed the first's arm, yanking it low and using his weight and momentum to throw him over her shoulder into the second. The third grabbed her from the middle and dragged her towards the forth, who was waiting with a hunting knife. She bucked backwards, breaking his nose with the back of her head. With a sweeping arc, she kicked the fourth in the face. She brought her foot down, breaking his right hand and making him drop his weapon. Lotus wriggled free from her captor and towards a sheltered corner to gather her bearings.

Among the chaos, she could see the metal door that lead to Red Fist's backroom. She made a beeline towards it, throwing down any who neared her. She reached the door and touched the thick hinges. With a deep breath, the metal began to peel away and drop to the floor in thick curls. The door creaked and groaned, unable to take the weight on such unsteady hinges. Lotus finally backed well away, and motioned inwards with both hands. The door obeyed, and fell out of it's hinges. The resulting clang grabbed the Titans attention. They looked up from their dwindling opponents and glanced at Lotus- each had a different expression on their face. Confusion, suprise, hidden anger, joy.

From within the backroom, Lotus could hear a terrible sound of fury from whatever animal Beastboy chose. Most of the rooms occupants fled, screaming or shouting expletives and surrendering their guns, throwing them down as they ran. Of course, Raven was blocking the exit, so their shot at freedom was short lived. Lotus entered the room; the remaining guards were attempting to protect themselves and a cowering Red Fist from a towering Tyrannosaurus that had taken out a good portion of the ceiling upon it's arrival. Lotus took them out with a couple well placed blow to the back of the head. Red Fist glared up at her. He was a fat, dark man wearing a filthy wife beater under a tacky business jacket. His greasy, curly hair was pulled into a short ponytail, and many rings adorned his thick fingers.

"You bitch! Look what you've done!" he yelled.

"Forget what I've done. Just worry about what I'm going to do." she warned with a snarl.

"Robin," she yelled. "can you come over here?" Robin gave a satisfied grunt as he booted a man in the gut before heading over. He looked the drug king over.

"So this is him?"

"Our lead to Akimil."

* * *

**So, just in case youu didn't get it, Red Fist is a serious heroine dealer.**

**Anyway, yay for a long chapter! I know the ending was a bit abrupt, but I didn't want it to be too long.** **And yeah,you didn't expect the whole power thing with Lotus, did ya?** **That's gonna be developed more later on.** **The next chapter will have a little more from the warehouses, including -gasp- a look at Lotus' past and why she wants Akimil so badly.**

**Review, please!**


	6. Chapter 6

"Tell me where Akimil is! _Now!_" A solid kick to the ribs resulted in a sick crunching sound and a howl of pain. Lotus glared down at her victim as they spat a mixture of blood and saliva at her feet.

"I-I'll never tell you." Red Fist rasped.

"If you have any self preservation skills in that worthless, dirty body of yours, I'd put them to work real soon and start talking."

He chuckled, blood pooling from his lips and staining his teeth red. "You think I'm scared of you? You're nothing compared to Akimil." She scowled.

"Oh? But I can get pretty damn close if I have to. Don't make me do that." She kicked one of the legs of the chair she had tied him to. It snapped easily. He fell abruptly to the ground amid the wooden splinters, coughing. "Talk." He shook his head slowly, grunting with pain.

"N-Never." Lotus reached down and grabbed the jagged chair leg.

"Still don't want to talk?"

"Don't do something you're gonna regret sweetheart." he said. His wide eyes betrayed his cool facade.

"Regret?" She stated back coldly. "Regret is for the weak and softhearted. I regret **nothing**." With that, she brought the wooden club down on his leg, cracking the bone in two.

-------

After an hour of private interrogation, Lotus emerged from the ruined warehouse red faced and furious. A sheen of sweat covered her forehead and chest. With an angry yell, she kicked the ground, stirring up clouds of dust. She made her way up the gradual slope to the boulder where the others waited. Starfire was the first to notice he appearance.

"Was the interrogation successful?" Starfire asked hopefully.

"No. Not at all." Lotus responded, plopping down on the dusty soil. "The guy's either an idiot for not cooperating with us, or a genius for not betraying Akimil." A slender hand came up and squeezed the bridge of her nose in distress. "After all that fuss, and I got nothing."

"Well, what do you expect? No one is going to rat out the biggest fugitive in the entire West Coast." Cyborg reasoned.

"Certainly looks like you tried hard to make him talk, though." Raven commented, nodding at Lotus' disheveled appearance. She smoothed her hair and tried to wipe the sweat and grime from her face, but to no effect.

"Yeah dude. We heard alot of noise coming from in there. What were you doing?"

"Just trying to get what I needed." Robin's hidden eyes evaluated her suspiciously.

"You didn't let things get out of hand, did you?" he asked.

"Of course not. He's as intact as you'd expect a heroine dealer to be."

Starfire suddenly gasped and leapt away from Lotus. She glanced up. "What?"

"Your hand..." Starfire answered, pointing a finger at the appendage. "You have blood on your hand." Lotus looked down at her hand and realized the crimson life was smeared across her palm and under her nails.

"Crap." she whispered quietly.

"'Intact?'" Robin said in a accusatory tone. "This is what you call intact? Drawing blood crosses the line, Lotus." She stood from her spot and glared at him.

"You Titans may have policies and regulations, but my code is different then yours. I'm not a Titan- I don't have to play by your rules."

"Titan or not, while you're with my friends, you'll abide by our standards." he shot back, rising to meet her glare.

"Your standards won't get us what we want! Do you want Akimil? Then play along and don't cry if we get a bit dirty." Robin shook his head slowly, looking at her with what seemed to be pity or disgust. He turned away from her, his cape swirling around him.

"Raven, see how bad the damage is. Cy, get the car. We're leaving." He looked back and shot her a piercing look. "Our lead ends here."

------

Lotus leaned against the T- Car's bumper, playing with a clod of dirt at her feet. She sighed. Her entire mission was ruined. Red Fist wouldn't reveal the mass murdering piece of filth's location, and yet Raven was wheeling him off that moment to a hospital to get his boo boos kissed like the scum actually deserved it. Now her only lead is gone and she's back to square one. She laughed bitterly. All her work for nothing.

The back of the car dipped. A side glance told Lotus that Cyborg was sitting beside her.

"What you did to Red Fist was...disturbing to say the least. I never would have guessed you held so much violence in you."

"Didn't anyone tell you that looks can be deceiving?" Off in the distance she could hear wolves howling at the fading moon. "Besides, he deserves every bit of what he got."

"Maybe. But who are you to pass that judgment on someone?" She snorted, kicking the dirt clod into the distance.

"Big talk coming from a vigilante."

""We're not vigilantes-"

"You're not cops though." she pointed out. "So _technically_…"

"So, why didn't you tell us you had powers? And, what _are_ they anyway?" She sighed.

"I didn't think I'd have to use them, so what's the point of telling? And they were… kind of a secret. From everyone."

"Even your dad?"

"Oh, especially him." Lotus replied, crossing her arms. "If he knew, he'd think I would run off to join a superhero team like yours and get myself killed. He'd be too worried. My dad has enough on his plate as a detective without me adding to it."

"That's surprisingly kind of you to think of that." Cyborg said. She narrowed her eyes.

"What's that supposed to mean? I love my dad. Ever since my mom left he's been under so much stress." Her eyes swept towards the ground. "I don't want to see him break."

"You're mom walked out on you? How'd that happen?" She ducked her head, trying to avoid the question.

"I never told you what my power was. I'm a technopath- except I can only manipulate metal, not electronics."

"So that's how you unhinged that door, by manipulating the metal?" She nodded.

"I can't normally do things like that. I'm mainly small scale because I never get a chance to exercise my skill."

"Well, this mission is probably a perfectly good time to do that. Akimil's proving harder to find then any of the Titans expected."

"I told you it would be hard. What, do you think this guy is like your Slade?" She shook her head. "He's way more intricate. More violent. More secret."

"Well," Her company stood up, stretching. Little whirring noises came from his body as he moved, popping joints and cracking bones. "Whoever he is, we're gonna find him. The Titans never lose." He strode back towards the warehouse, leaving Lotus to her thoughts.

-------

**Okay, I lied about finding out why Lotus wants Akimil. You'll get that later. Review, though?**


	7. Chapter 7

**If you are reading this, PLEASE take out just a minute- not even- to write a review so I know how many people are reading this fic!**

**-----**

The exhausted figure of police captain Capt. Hughes bent over yet another report file. A single bulb above his desk lit his work, seeming all too little illumination to tackle the shit pile that landed on his station's doorstep just a few days earlier. Line were showing prematurely around his eyes and cutting across his forehead. Some days he swore this job would put him into an early grave.

The station was quiet; all the other officers and detectives had gone home. They'd done their job for the day. His, however, was just beginning.

The echo of a clanging door caught his attention. He looked up from his work just as Lotus was opening his office door. She peeked in and smiled concernedly.

"Hi dad." She slid through the door and let it close behind her. She shrugged a pack off her shoulder and went to sit on the corner of Capt. Hughes' desk.

"Lotus, you're here awfully late. How did you get in?"

"Spare key." She held up a swipe card and grinned. "I snatched it from you room." He tried to frown disapprovingly but found himself returning the smile. Lotus' cheeky smile faded as she took a good look at her father's face. "You look like crap, Pa. Why don't you go home and get some rest? Start fresh in the morning?" He shook his head, looking down and shuffling the papers strewn out before him.

"Can't. There's too much to do." He picked up a sheaf of paper and threw it in the garbage. "Dead leads this way and that. False reports, copycat killers…" A pudgy hand came up to rub the bridge of his nose as he gave a deep sigh. "Did you know this asshole's committed three more murders already?" Lotus' eyes widened.

"N-No, I hadn't heard." She murmured. "Who were the victims this time?" He waved a hand, shooing the question away.

"Eh, you shouldn't even be hearing this. You're still a kid, you don't need this stress." She grabbed the dismissive hand and squeezed it lovingly.

"No one does. Especially you." Hughes smiled warmly and rubbed his chin, as if contemplating something. After a moment, he gathered all the papers and opened a drawer behind his desk, dumping them in.

"You're right." He admitted. "This can wait until tomorrow." He stood and slid his jacket on. "What do you say we go get a late night snack, eh, Lotus?" She smiled and nodded.

"Coffee?"

"Sounds great. I- Oh, wait a minute. Forgot something." He turned back to his desk and fished his wallet from his pocket. She watched as he pulled out a small key and locked the drawer with the Akimil's papers before tucking it back into his wallet. He returned to Lotus' side and put an arm around her shoulders. She smiled weakly, not exactly able to meet his eyes. He didn't notice. The pair left the office, and a sad feeling settled in the bottom of Lotus' stomach. She didn't sit well what with she would soon do, but at this point, did she have a choice?

----

"Three murders already?!" Robin paced furiously, a file clenched in his hand. "Not even two days- _two days- _and this guy has killed again!"

"This is…most unfortunate. For everyone." Starfire chimed in, a calm contrast to Robin's angry tone. "but how are we to fix it without a lead?" Their leader opened his mouth to reply but found that no answer came to mind. He slowly sank down on the sofa and let the papers drop from his hands. The four Titans sitting near him looked at him expectantly.

"I-I don't know." Robin finally answered.

"So…that's it?" Beastboy asked. "Evil guy wins?"

"No." Robin said firmly. "No, we're not quitting. We just have to figure out what our next movie is." His gloved hand came up to rub his chin; it was a habit of hi when he was in deep thought. "How did Lotus do it?"

"Do what?" Star asked.

"Manage to get so close to finding him. How did she get those leads? What's different between us and her?" The five pondered this for at least five minutes before the resident Cyborg snapped his fingers and stood excitedly.

"Connections." He stated. He waited for a response, but found none, so he explained himself. "Her dad. He's a cop. She's got to have access to top secret police files."

"Well, we have access to police files too." Robin pointed out.

"And that's got us pretty much all of nowhere." Raven continued.

"But the local police are as far as our reach goes." Cyborg replied. "What if she had deeper reach then just the cops? What if she had access to the FBI?"

"Where's your proof?" Robin asked.

"So far it's just an idea. But a few background checks should show us if it's more then that."

----

An hour later produced two interesting finds.

Over night, a very important set of files had disappeared from Captain Hughes' desk. No one had access to Hughes' desk but himself. The station is still investigating its employees for answers.

The second find was an article published nine years ago in the Jump Tribune. The reporter had written a tragic story covering the death of one Mary Hughes, wife to Captain Hughes and mother of one.

Minutes after reading it, Robin ordered the five Titans to do a city wide search for the girl to bring her in.

-----

Lotus trekked down the sidewalk, being bustled and jostled this way and that. An inconsiderate passerby stepped on her foot painfully. "Prick." Lotus muttered, shooting them an unseen glare. They continued on, ignorant. "Damn the midday lunch rush." She reshouldered the pack on her back and continued on. Every building, telephone pole, and free surface she passed had flyers stapled on it, all featuring the single photo of Akimil and the words "Have You Seen This Man?" underneath it. She reached up and tore a flyer down from a bakery window. She stared down at it, rememorizing the features of the mass murderer. The very same features that inspired hate deep in the pit of her gut every time she encountered them. She folded and pocketed the picture to remind herself why the papers in her pack were of the utmost importance.

The winding roads of Jump and a few back alleys led her to the Jump City Scrap Metal Park in under ten minutes. There was no real reason she was there; she only needed a pretty secluded place with little to no traffic. Any place would do, but being around metal also had a tendency to cool her nerves. She passed through the entrance gates and the son of the manager, a lanky black haired teen named Laris who also happened to be an employee, called out to her.

"Lotus, hey!" She turned, surprised. He was sitting on the hood of a rusting light blue Beamer. "Haven't seen you here in a while."

"Yeah. I've been kind of busy lately." He tossed his greasy bangs out of his face.

"With what?" She shook her head.

"Sorry, I can't say. It's kinda private." He frowned.

"Oh. Well, okay then." She smiled and continued in, deeper into the forest of twisted metal. Trucks, washing machines, toasters, chain link fences; they all formed the walls of metal towering on either side of her. Their solid presence calmed her. She finally settled down on an overturned shopping cart and opened her pack, taking a quick glance around before pulling out the stack of papers from her father's drawer. The first few papers were nothing more then false reports and sightings. She set those aside and discovered a small stack of pictures paperclipped together underneath them. They were dark and fuzzy, as if taken at night, or perhaps by a security camera. She picked them up and studied the topmost one. Or ,she attempted to; as soon as she set eyes on it, a shout from the front of the yard stole her attention. Lotus glanced up, brows furrowed.

"Laris?" she called. A few rattles of metal broke the silence before she heard him cry out,

"Lotus, run! They're looking for you!" She gripped the photos tighter.

"What? Who?" she yelled.

"The Titans!"

Lotus swore and leapt yup, shoving the papers roughly into her pack and swinging it over her back before taking off at a pounding run. She risked a look over her shoulder and saw the silhouette of a furling cloak in the air. "Crap!"

"Stop running." Raven said, soaring down lower. "You'll only tire yourself out needlessly."

"Long as I get away from you, I don't see it as needless." Lotus yelled back.

"It's not just me. The other Titans are on their way. I've alerted them to your location. You can't win." Lotus' glare deepened.

"Watch me!" She lifted both arms and flexed her senses, feeling the bits of metal around her. She strained to call them to her, and only managed to get a few small pieces to loosen themselves from the piles and fling themselves at Raven. She formed a shield, deflecting each one.

"You're too weak with your powers to fight me, much less all five Titans." She continued. "You're making this much more difficult then it needs to be. We're not going to hurt you."

"Oh? Then why chase me down?"

"…Azara-"

"Oh, no you don't." Lotus turned and planted her feet firmly into the ground, Raven stopped, watching her. She cried out, using all the force she could muster. The metal around her groaned under the pressure. Lotus grit her teeth and pulled both arms inward and towards the ground. The screech of sliding metal echoed through the air and began to get louder.

Suddenly something blunt and hard slammed into the back of her skull, making her eyes swim in blinding pain. She lost what little control over the metal she had and sunk to her knees, disoriented. She looked up, blinking rapidly.

The form of a masked boy stood over her, a smirk on his face. Raven landed behind him, shaking her head.

"I told you."

-----

**Now see what you got into Lotus? Hehehe.**

**The Titans dug up something pretty bad, but you won't figure out what until next chapter.**

**But, until then, review please!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Review please!**

* * *

She awoke in the back of the T Car, hands cuffed behind her back, feet tied, and head swimming in pain. Lotus could already feel the knot forming on the back of her skull where Robin hit her. She groaned, eyes focusing and unfocusing in the all too bright light of day. The driver- which Lotus recognized as Cyborg thanks to the glowing circuits coursing through the panels of his extended arms- halved a glance at her.

"You're not in any danger, if that's what you're afraid of." he said quietly. She shrugged her shoulders to relieve the stiffness.

"Yeah. No danger. Just restraining me because you have a fetish for bondage." She replied, smirking sarcastically. A pair of boots lifted from the passenger seat and rested on the dash board. A few tufts of black hair poked over the top of the seat. It seemed Robin had decided to take a ride with them. She wondered momentarily if it was just to gloat in her face or humiliate her.

"It's precaution." Robin said. "We have to follow these things because, unlike _some_ people, we follow the law." Lotus stretched out across the backseat, lying down to relieve her pounding headache.

"Well," she sighed. "not everyone can be a hero Bird Boy."

* * *

It was sometime later that she again woke up, only this time to find herself sitting in a cold, hard chair and slumped over a table of the same characteristics. A pair of handcuffs trapped her to her chair. She lifted her head, her free hand checking the bruise on her head. She winced as her fingers brushed over a particularly large bump. Glancing down at her wrists, she saw slight rawness and bruising from being bound and handcuffed. Satisfied that she wasn't injured more then a few scrapes and bruises, she set on finding out where she was.

Her eyes swept from side to side, trying to pick out anything else in the tiny, dark room. There was a door behind her, no doubt leading outside to wherever it was the Titans had shoved her. Her eyes narrowed as she focused up at one of the corners. A tiny, pinprick dot of red light shone back at her.

_A camera,_ she thought. _Great._ They had her under surveillance. She lifted a hand, waved with a sarcastically cheery smile, then shot an obscene gesture. "I don't know if you can hear me Titans, but I'm going to have you all arrested for this." She looked with a solemn face directly into the camera. "Kidnapping the daughter of a police captain?" Lotus shook her head disapprovingly, tutting. "Bad idea."

Minutes later, just as she had predicted, the door behind her swung open and Robin marched in, file in hand. He leaned on the table with his hands, staring hard at her.

"_Citizens _have the privilege of pressing charges. _Citizens_ have the freedom to claim kidnapping. But _you_ don't. You're not a citizen today. Today, you're just another suspect in my interrogation room."

She sneered."Ah, I understand now. Kidnapping is legal, so long as you tie them up real tight, shove them in a car, and make sure no one else knows."

"This isn't kidnapping. Officially, we're arresting you and taking you into temporary custody."

Lotus stood up in alarmed rage, ignoring the yank of the handcuffs on her wrist.

"On what grounds?!"

"Don't play stupid, Lotus. You know exactly why you're here." She met Robin's gaze with her own furious one.

"_On what grounds?_" She repeated, drawing out each word in a chilly tone. Robin set down the file and slid it across the table to her, never breaking eye contact.

"Intent to murder."

* * *

She stared down at the file for quite some time before reaching out a hand and slowly opening it. The first item inside popped out at her with black ink and bold letters; a reminder of the most horrid day of her life. She withheld a cry and settled on a mere grimace. It didn't go unnoticed. He sneered.

"Remind you of something?"

"Where did you find this?"

"Access to the police database can go a long way. Oh, but you already know that, don't you?" She looked up at him, trying to ignore the news clipping still glaring up at her. "We found the documents in your bag- all of them police files and reports; the very same ones that happened to go missing last night." He meandered around the room, looking at nothing in particular as he talked. "Interesting thing too- they were all files on Akimil." She smirked.

"Well, fancy that."

"You don't have legal access to those documents, Lotus. That alone is reason enough to arrest you. But this," He turned towards her and gestured down at the article. "is so much more fascinating." He moved closer and planted both hands palm facing down on the table. Peering at her, he asked, "What's the connection between your mother and Akimil?" Lotus adopted a clueless look. "Don't pretend there isn't one Lotus. Both you and I know it would be way too much of a coincidence to have the two have nothing in common."

"You don't have any reason to think that Robin." Her eyes narrowed. "And I'd watch where you're treading, because I don't have much patience for nosey birds rustling in my past."

"What's in your past that you have to hide?"

"I could ask you the same thing, couldn't I?" she challenged. "What's with the mask? Why do you hide your eyes? What are you afraid of people finding?" Robin's mouth hardened into a thin line. For a while he didn't speak, but just stared at her with those masked eyes.

"It says here in this article," he finally said. "that a women named Mary Hughes was found face down in an empty apartment with traces of several drugs in her system and fresh track marks on her arms and feet." Lotus looked away quickly, unable to meet his unfeeling eyes. "Says she left behind a daughter and a husband when she died. With no inheritance of health insurance, I'm sure the funeral must've put a dent in the family's bank account." Lotus gripped the arm of the chair, biting the inside of her cheek hard to keep from saying anything. "It's a pity- the cops couldn't even find the drug dealing shit that gave Mary her fixes. They just gave up. Probably didn't care about just one more dead addict."

"Shut up." Robin looked down, a grin hidden behind his facade of coolness.

"What was that?" She ventured a burning glare at the vigilante.

"You have no right to talk ill of a woman you've never even met!" She slapped aside the file, scattering the papers all over the floor. "And I've already warned you once- _watch_ your _goddamned_ step."

"So, this is what you meant when you told Cyborg your mother walked out on you?" Lotus' eyes widened and she whirled in her chair to face him.

"He told you what I said?!"

"I asked him to. I knew he stopped by during the mission to talk to you. I was curious." She suppressed feelings of slight betrayal. "Just tell me and this'll all be over faster, for the both of us."

* * *

"...My mom didn't die right when she left, if that's what you meant." Lotus admitted. "It started out slow. She had an …addictive personality. My mom had a few habits she wasn't proud of. Both I and my dad tried to help her deal with them all. We really did."

"'Habits', as in more then one? Drinking? Gambling? Sex?" She shot him a killing glare.

"No. Just drinking and ...drugs. She was getting her fixes from somewhere, but we couldn't figure it out. No matter what we did- tie her to her bed, lock her in a room- she would always find a way out. So I ended up following her one night when she snuck out for a rush. I followed her downtown to the dregs of the city. She met a shadowy man in an alley and handed him a clip of cash- where she got it, I don't know. We could barely scrap together enough cash for ourselves while still paying for mom's rehab." Here she paused and glanced at Robin to gauge his thoughts. He just watched her silently, expressionless. She continued. "He took the money and handed her a box. When she opened it and pulled something out, I recognized it as a syringe." Her voice broke and she looked down, clearing her throat. "After that, I just ran. I couldn't bear to watch her any longer."

"The shadowed man," Robin pressed. "who was he?" Lotus sighed.

"I-I have reason to believe it was Akimil. He was a petty drug dealer in his earlier years, long before he began killing."

"And your mother? When did she leave?"

"A few weeks later. Her addiction was stronger then her will. She just up and walked out one day, without so much as a goodbye to my father. She hugged me though, and told me to make a better life for myself then what she had. After that, it was only a few days before we heard that they found her in that apartment room." She nudged the article with her foot in disdain, wishing she could rip it to shreds and burn the remains.

"She picked the syringe over you and your father," Robin said. "and you can't forgive her for that, can you?"

"I'm not mad at my mother for leaving. She was sick! She wasn't in the right state of mind!"

"Then who do you blame? _Akimil?_" Lotus looked down, seething. "That's what you want him so badly for- to avenge your mother? It wasn't his fault though. Your revenge is misplaced."

"Don't you say that!" she growled. "That bastard was the one who fueled her addiction. Without him, she would still be alive!"

"She would just find another dealer and end up the same way she did." he replied, matter of factly. "If your mother was weak willed enough to abandon you, then she would be weak willed enough to pursue her addiction elsewhere." Lotus's eyes narrowed dangerously. She stood slowly, clenching and unclenching her hands. Suddenly she lunged at Robin and swung out her hand to slap him. He caught her hand in midair, unfliching.

"_You son of a bitch!_" she yelled. "It _was_ Akimil! He did it and he needs retribution!"

"She OD'ed Lotus!" he shouted, his voice cruel and unforgiving.

"**No!** He _murdered_ her by selling her those drugs!" she screamed. "Giving them to her was like giving a suicidal person a gun and a bullet!"

"It was her choice to make. _Hers._" His tone lowered to a menacing softness. "You can't blame him for what she did." Her entire body trembled with anger and hatred. Her lip quivered precariously before the dam broke and tears finally gushed forth from her eyes. Robin released her hand and she sunk into the chair, sobbing quietly.

Her hair fell over to shadow her face, blocking her streaked cheeks from view.

"I-I _need_ my revenge Robin. _Please_. You couldn't possibly understand-" He cut her off.

"Yes, I do. You have to know that revenge isn't all it's cut out to be. All it brings is more pain."

"I don't care about myself. All I want is to avenge my mother's death."

"I can't let you do that Lotus."

"With or without you and your Titans, I will get my revenge. I'm only warning you now Robin; you can either be there to help me and keep me in check, or risk letting me kill him. Your choice."

* * *

**Aaaand, wala~! Lotus' hidden secret is finally revealed. It's unexpected and kinda tragic, isn't it? Thanks for reading and please review!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Warning: a little bit more cussing in this chapter.**

* * *

Lotus again resisted the urge to slam her head repeatedly against the wall of her containment cell, choosing instead to pace the small confines of the room. Frustration, anxiety and boredom were roiling within her, ready to burst if she didn't leave that small, claustrophobic hell.

The Titans had kept her in that room for what felt like hours. The files Robin had brought from their earlier interrogation still laid on the table, the topmost article mocking her. She wanted so badly to rip it apart, to destroy every last shred of that horrid paper, but couldn't- she would be charged with tampering with evidence of an ongoing case- so instead she resolved to stay away from the file altogether. So far that proved harder then she thought, giving that the cell was only roughly eight by eight feet.

With a last grunt of frustration, Lotus lunged for the door, yanking on the handle and pounding on it with both fists.

"Let me out, you son of a bitch!"

There was no response on the other side of the door.

"Is anyone even there?!"

Again, no response. She backtracked and stared up at the corner where the security camera was mounted. She glared up at it, arms crossed.

"You can only keep me here for eight hours. You realize that, don't you?" The pinpoint of red light stared back at her. "And even with my files, you won't be able to find Akimil." She scoffed, tossing her hands in the air. "Hell, you wouldn't even know who he _was_ if it wasn't for me! You'd just be chasing your own goddamn tails, going in circles. Admit it! You need me! And, seeing as I'm locked up," she said, glancing around her prison. "I might not feel so helpful when you Titans hit a rut in your little investigation." She smirked victoriously at the camera and waited for Robin to come storming in, angry and cocky as always.

Instead, the fluorescent lights cut off, throwing her into darkness. The small vent pumping in the cool air conditioning sputtered and died.

"_What the-?!_ Oh, you little shits! This is _not_ funny!" Lotus threw out her hands and felt her way to the table, forgetting all about the files in lieu of finding something stable to comfort her in the darkness.

The cell got very warm, very fast. In no time the temperature had jumped twenty degrees, and it was getting harder to breath. Lotus had already stripped of her shoes and socks, and was wearing only her undershirt and shorts. Despite this, she was still sweating.

"This is so mature." She adopted a high pitched voice that was clearly an imitation of Robin- insulting and prissy though it was. "'Let's cut off the lighting and air! That'll make her cooperate! Oh, Batsy, are proud of me? Did I do good? Am I a big bad superhero like you?'" She knew saying this where Robin could possibly hear was going too far, but she didn't care; she was thirsty, overheated, hungry, and pissed.

* * *

She sat, sulking and scowling into the darkness for what seemed like forever before the door flung open. She squinted as the bright outside light temporarily blinded her. A figure hurtled through the door and tackled her from the table. It brought her down hard, her head bouncing off the floor as she hit. She cried out, writhing under the lean figure. They were suprisingly strong for their small size. "_Get off of me!_"

"Don't you _ever_ talk about him like that!" Robin roared, pulling back a fist and slamming it into her face. She curled inward, tasting copper. Something warm and wet spurted from her nose. Robin grabbed the front of her shirt and screamed at her, "Do you understand?"

"I said get _off_, Bird Boy!" Lotus balled her fist and swung it from the floor in an arch, hitting Robin in the temple. He swayed, nearly losing consciousness from the sharp blow. She bucked him off and rolled to the side, managing to crawl towards the nearest wall and slump against it. Her eyes adjusted to the light, and she was able to see Robin glaring death at her from his crouched position on the floor.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?!" She grimaced and spat blood off to the side.

"I don't ever want to hear Batman's name come out of your mouth again. You have no idea what he is to me!"

"You're such a bloody hypocrite!" Lotus laughed bitterly. "You're willing to talk shit about my mother and my past but the very second I do the same to you, you beat the shit out of me!"

"Yeah, well, that shouldn't be the main thing concerning you right now."

She narrowed her eyes. "Why?"

"We found Akimil _without_ your help! We know where he is! And when we arrest that bastard, and they run the news in every goddamned paper in the city, I will _personally _make sure that neither you nor your father will be given credit. All your work, all your crimes, will be gone to waste." With that, he rose and stalked out the door, leaving her in darkness.

* * *

**Tension and violence rises in the Tower. Is Robin just bluffing about Akimil? Would he really go that far to betray another vigilante? Tired of these rhetorical questions? Yeah, so am I.**

**Short chapter! Sorry for wait. Writers block and all that. Review please!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Review please!**

* * *

"_Ow!_ Watch it!" Cyborg threw Lotus a wary look and continued to wipe the blood from her nose with a damp cloth.

"It looks like you nose is broken. I can try to reset it, but that's all I can do."

"Wonderful." Lotus said bitterly, feeling her tender nose. "You know, you should keep that boy on a leash before he kills someone."

"And you're one to speak, are you?" Cyborg threw back. "You should've known you were going to upset Robin when you said those things." Lotus made a mockingly sweet, apologetic smile.

"Sorry, I was too busy thinking about Robin's 'no drawing blood' rule."

"Well, even Robin is liable to make a few mistakes every now and then." She drew back from him and fixed him with a disgusted look.

"And what, I can't? Are we all supposed to be perfect, or is Robin just the only one who can make mistakes?"

"Look," Cyborg snapped. "History isn't something we like to rehash around here. You of all people should know that."

"How does that old saying go? 'An eye for an eye', isn't it? He talks about mine, I talk about his. Karma. Deal with it." Cyborg tossed the rag aside and stood up, sighing and crossing his arms.

"Look, this isn't my fight. It's between you and Robin- I'm just a mediator, so don't get pissed with me." She looked away and rubbed her neck.

"Yeah, I know. Sorry." He nodded. "Was Robin serious? About finding Akimil?"

"Oh..." Cyborg chewed his lip, looking uncomfortable. "Robin hasn't told us yet if he has or hasn't, but he's been locked up in his room since your fight, looking through the files you stole. He also has access to all the government databases you did. There's a strong chance he might find something that points him to a new lead. "

"So there is a possibility that he could go through with his threat?"

"…Yes."

She slammed her fists on the table, inadvertently activating her powers and causing the surface of the metal to ripple violently.

"That son of a _bitch!_" she yelled. "How dare he go and do that to me and my dad! We've done _nothing_ but help that ungrateful fuck and _this _is how he repays us?!"

"Hey, calm down!" Cyborg shouted, grabbing Lotus' arms. She glared at him, hatred seeping off her very flesh. "**Calm. Down.**" A few moments passed, the anger in the air nigh tangible. She drew a shaky breath and let it out slowly. "Are you good, or do I have to tie you to that chair?"

"...I'm fine." He released her slowly.

"Good. I'm sorry Robin's done this to you. But, I can't do anything-"

Unexpectedly, Lotus jumped from her seat and grabbed the back of Cyborg's neck, pulling him down and kissing him soundly. His eyes popped open in surprise and shock. He didn't know what to do- push her away, or pull her closer. She moved him back until he hit the wall with a thud. Cyborg felt his heart skip a few beats as his eyes slid close and he put an arm around her waist. His circuits and metal plating seemed to tingle as he felt himself drawn closer to the wall. She finally pulled back, staring up at him as she whispered,

"Sorry Cyborg. Nothing personal." She slid from his grasp and stepped away from him.

"Wh-What was that for?" he stammered. Lotus made a 'come-hither' motion, a sad smile on her lips. Cyborg attempted to step towards her, but something kept him from moving. Again he tried, but to no avail. His legs and arms were unable to move despite all his effort and strength.

"I really am sorry." she repeated.

"What did you do?"

"I had to Cy. It's for the best."

"What did you _do?!_" he shouted, trying desperately to free himself.

"I bound the metal of your body to the metal of the room." She gestured about them as she spoke. "Essentially, you're a part of that wall. You won't be able to move until I free you." He thrashed his head about, grunting and crying out in anger.

"Why?!"

"I need to find Akimil before the Titans do. I won't let you keep me from my revenge. And you know what they say about revenge-" She drew her face closer to his and pecked his lips again. He pulled away, disgust and hurt scrawled across his face. "It's one hell of a motivator."

* * *

She approached the door and placed a palm on its surface, closing her eyes and concentrating.

"Lotus," She paused, glancing back. Cyborg looked at her pleadingly, begging her. "Lotus, please don't leave me trapped here."

"Don't worry. I'll come back for you. Oh, and I wouldn't suggest having Starfire free you. You're deeply bound to the metal; if she tries to, she may end up ripping you in half." He choked, a gasp catching in his throat.

She turned her attention back to the door and furrowed her brow, her energy seeping to the door's hinges. Just as she had done in Red Fist's base, she shaved the layers of metal away, bit by bit, until the hinges crumbled. With a solid kick, the door collapsed outwards into the hall. She peeked around the corners. No sign of anyone. She smiled. Fortune was on her side.

* * *

**Another chapter down. I don't like it too much, but I hope you do. Lotus shows only a portion of what she will do to attain her revenge. As much as she doesn't want to, she will take down anyone in her way. More violence and betrayal next chapter. Review, please?**


	11. Chapter 11

The halls were too quiet, void of any noise- no barked orders from Robin, no battlecries of vengeance raining down on her.

Lotus, for now, was alone.

She swept deftly down the hall, looking about for any signs of the resident heroes. Apparently, they had no clue about what happened to their metal friend. Lotus felt a pang of guilt as the desperate look on Cyborg's face resurfaced in her memories. He was likable enough- she really didn't want to do it. But at that point, she had no other option but to make her move and hope for a chance at escaping. She could still hear his cries rattling from the interrogation room she left behind her. She intentionally blocked out the noise and concentrated on finding a way out. A window, a door, an emergency exit, anything.

She continued silently down the hallway, peeking around the corner before she took a right turn. It was nearly identical to the one she had just left. She smacked her forehead with the heel of her hand, sighing angrily. Continuing on, her eyes darted nervously at each door she passed. Any one of those could be her path to freedom and vengeance, or lead directly to a Titan. Either way, she didn't want to take the risk. "How the hell do they find their way around this place?" she muttered.

A sudden distant noise caught her attention. She cocked her head to the side and listened hard. Two voices, coming from far off but growing louder and louder as they approached. Lotus swore, and frantically looked around, playing an internal game of meeny-mini-mo with the doors. The voices drew closer, a hundred feet off at the most.

"-eeny mini…Ah, screw it!" She cried, closing her eyes and pointing at a door. "Mo!" She opened her eyes and found she had chosen the door on her immediate left. She rushed over and the door slid open with a hiss. She hurried inside, finding herself in a bare basics bathroom. It was small and simple, with a toilet, a sink, and a closet. The only source of light was a small window, not nearly big enough to fit through.

The door closed sharply behind her. She leaned against the door, pressing an ear to it. Apparently, the voices had reached the hall outside and were passing by.

"But I do not understand." Starfire's cheery voice said. "Why are these men so interested in possessing the funny shaped leather ball? Surely they could share?"

"Look Star," Robin sighed. "You just go on down to the training room. I'll meet you there and explain it again."

"Where are you going?"

"Bathroom." Lotus' eyes widened and she drew away from the door.

"Oh. I shall see you soon then, Robin."

With only a few seconds to gather her thoughts, Lotus whirled around to look for an option. _The closet!_ She opened the door and cursed. Shelves took up the entire free space of the closet, giving Lotus no hiding place. She had no other option but to fight. A towel bar was fastened into the wall beside the sink. Lotus gripped it with both hands and tore it away, flinging small chunks of plaster everywhere. The metal bar provided a sturdy enough weapon for the time being. She quickly hid herself away from sight as well as she could and waited.

The door opened and Lotus tightened her hold on the bar, muscles taut and ready to spring. His feet shuffled a bit. He took two steps closer and turned. Lotus saw her chance. She swung the bar in an upward arc and jumped from her place. Robin could on turn halfway towards her before she brought the bar down in a strong blow to his back. He stiffened and dropped to his knees with a yell. Again she brought the bar up. Robin reacted with a quick strike to her knee. She paused as a hot spear of pain spread through her joint. It locked up, and she found she couldn't bend it. Following through with her strike, she hit him again, on the base of his neck. He bowed lower to the ground, gritting his teeth. Still at the ready, Lotus reached down and angrily rubbed at her leg muscles to coax them back into cooperation.

"Fancy move," she grunted. "learned that from your caped protector?" Robin growled, pushing himself into a half crouched position.

"How'd you get out?" he asked. She lifted her weapon and swung at him. He rolled, dodging it.

"I'd tell you to ask Cyborg, but he's a bit indisposed at the moment." Robin's brow furrowed deeper. He leapt up and delivered a vicious uppercut to her jaw. She stumbled back, hitting the wall.

"What did you do?" he yelled. She wiped her mouth sourly.

"You can find out for yourself Robin." She lashed out with a fist that he easily blocked, then followed up with a swipe from the bar. He grabbed it and twisted it hard. She held on tight, though, and twisted right back, forcing Robin to let go. "Think about it." she said. "The longer you fight me, the more he may be in trouble." Robin faltered. That hesitation was what she needed. With a twirl of her wrist, the bar rotated around and hit Robin sharply in the ribs. He coughed, grabbing at his side. She backed away slowly and moved towards the door. "I'm giving you a choice. Catch me, or help your friend. You decide." With that, she turned and ran out the door, turning in a wide arc and heading the way he and Starfire had come. Her bare feet skidded on the floor and her knee refused to work properly, making it harder for her to move. She still kept up a good pace, despite Robin's attacks.

"Titans!" she heard him yell. "Lotus has escaped! She's heading down hall D-! Get her!" She picked up her pace, realizing too late that she should've taken Robin's communicator. In moments, the three remaining Titans would be upon her.

"There has to be a way…" she said, rounding the corner. This hallway led to two double doors. Hope flickered inside her. Maybe this would lead her somewhere useful. She limped down the corridor and reached the door. She paused, though, when a deep growl sounded somewhere behind it. She hesitantly reached forward and the door slid open, revealing a Bengal tiger, crouched and ready to attack. Screaming, she ducked. Just as she did, the tiger pounced, leaping over her and sliding to a stop a yard behind her. She ran forward and dove behind the sofa. The door closed, and it was completely silent.

Lotus held her breath and listened closely. She could hear the faint sound of hissing coming from somewhere. Suddenly, something strong and rope-like draped itself around her neck and right arm, tightening. The telltale hiss of a snake sounded in her ear. She chocked as the muscle began to slowly crush her throat. She wildly swung the bar behind her, but none of them struck Beastboy. Her head felt light and she realized she would soon pass out. Desperate, she used the little concentration she had to mold the metal in her hands into a pointed spear. She reached up and stabbed the snake, just shallowly enough to break the skin and pierce into the first nerves. He writhed in pain and dropped away, morphing back into a human. Lotus scrambled to her feet and faced him. He held his forearm, which bore a small gouge, dripping blood down his hand.

"Let me go Beastboy. You know I'm right about Akimil. I know you do."

"That doesn't mean you take revenge like that Lotus." She extended her arm and pointed the spear at him.

"Bullshit! He deserves to pay!"

"Don't make me chase you Lotus." he pleaded sadly. She shook her head and lowered her spear.

"I'm sorry, Beastboy. I have to do this." Whipping around, she threw the weapon at one of the large windows she noticed as she ran in. It pierced the glass, sending shattered pieces everywhere. She ran forward and jumped off of the edge, arching her body into a dive. She cut through the air, rapidly heading for the water below. A jagged black streak cut through the air somewhere below here, ripping apart into a circular portal. The cloaked figure of Raven emerged from its depths. She raised her hands and shouted her mantra, unleashing twin spindles of magic from both hands to spiral down and grab at Lotus' ankles. Lotus twisted to the side, barely avoiding Raven's grasp. The movement, however, threw Lotus out of her dive, causing her to hit the water hard on her shoulder. She let out a pained gasp as she sank down.

Through blurry eyes, she peered towards the water's surface. A bright green streak flew from the newly broken window, performing jagged patterns in the sky before dipping into a nose dive. The Tameran shot towards her like an underwater missile. With no time to move, Lotus was tackled by the midsection, flung deeper into the water. All the oxygen exploded out of her lungs in a burst of bubbles. She scratched helplessly at the other girl's shoulders, but to no avail. Starfire risked a look up at her, her eyes glowing a fierce Tameranian warrior green. Those eyes softened, however, as she saw Lotus grabbing at her suffocating throat. Starfire swung her body around, slowing their descent. She hesitantly loosened her grip and Lotus pushed her away. Starfire glanced over her concernedly, the glow slowly fading. She wasn't affected by the water's depth or the lack of oxygen because Tamarans had no lungs. Lotus, however, was completely human. Her mind swam, bright lights flashing behind her eyes and every nerve screaming for oxygen. Starfire's face steeled and she reached forward, grabbing Lotus by the wrist and pulling her closer. With a sudden burst of speed, both she and Lotus shot towards the surface. It seemed like years to Lotus before they broke through to the warm air. She sucked in desperate lungfuls, never feeling so grateful to be breathing. Starfire held her carefully, allowing the girl time to recuperate. Lotus finally gathered enough air to look up at her heroine and sputter, "W-Why did you save me?"

Starfire smiled. "Because I believe you are not of the badness that Robin says you are."

"Are you going to-" Here she paused, coughing up a bit of water. "-t-to bring me back to the tower?" Starfire bit her lip, deep in thought. She finally leveled a strong gaze at her and said,

"Take a deep breath and hold it for as long as you can." Lotus frowned, confused, but complied nonetheless. Starfire pushed her under with a strong shove, and then dove in after her. Lotus found herself in Starfire's arms again as she shot off towards the city at unrivaled speeds. In moments they were a mile from the shore. Starfire released her and grasped her hand, giving it a squeeze.

"Please, do the right thing Lotus." Her words were warbled by the water, but they reached Lotus clearly. Lotus nodded, and turned away, striking out for the bay. Starfire waved at her retreating form before returning to the Tower.

* * *

**I'm pretty happy with this chapter! It's longer then most, and the fights came out pretty well as far as I can tell. So now that Starfire let Lotus go, what will she tell the Titans? And where is Lotus going to go? Review, please!**


	12. Chapter 12

Lotus broke the surface, breathing deep the salt flavored air. The endless stretch of ocean had finally reached an end. She looked over the subtle, calming waves rising and falling around her, towards the beach. It was a few hundred feet away at most. She could already see the brightly colored umbrellas speckling the shore and people milling about, like a colony of ants. She grinned. _Finally. _With a strong push of her legs, she started towards the beach.

* * *

"Starfire!" Robin called from the shore, waving to the soaking wet Tamaran as she flew towards the tower. She didn't meet his eyes, and returned with a less then cheerful,

"Hello Robin." Raven stood beside him, holding a towel and warm tea for Star. She touched down on the rocky terrain and gladly accepted them. Robin leaned to look behind Starfire, expecting to see their returned prisoner. A flash of anger danced across his face once he saw that his hopes were not met.

"Star?" He barely contained the growl in his voice. "Where's Lotus?"

"I- um," Starfire hesitated, eyes growing wide. "I could not catch her."

"What do you _mean_, 'couldn't catch her'?" His voice grew sharp.

She winced. "I could not capture her! She was too quick! I am…sorry."

"And you didn't pursue her?" he yelled, guesturing to the water. "She couldn't have gotten too far- she was tired, wounded and starving!"

"I apologize deeply, Robin! But the prisoner was indeed gone and I had not a clue as to her whereabouts or the direction she took! She could have been anywhere!" Her eyes shone with tears. "Please, forgive me." Robin opened his mouth to continue, but clamped it shut when Raven placed a hand on his shoulder and shook her head.

"It's useless." She deadpanned. "What's done is done. We need to plan our next move, not sit here and bicker."

Robin sighed, rubbing his eyes wearily. "Fine. You're right. Star," He glanced at the alien. "we'll talk later." She drew the towel closer around her shoulders and nodded sadly.

"Hey," Beastboy approached the group, clutching his bleeding arm. "has anyone seen Cyborg?"

* * *

"Hey! Hey, miss! Wait!"

Lotus turned, a snarl on her face. The middle aged man running after her hesitated in his pace at her expression.

"Y-You dropped this a while back." He offered her a crumpled piece of paper with a weak smile. "It- um, f-fell out of your pocket. I think it's a photograph." He flinched as she snatched it from his hand. Lotus unwrinkled it and a grimace crossed her face. The sea water had distorted nearly every part of the picture, making the colors run together and the figures become mere silhouettes. She growled, folded it up, and shoved it in her pocket before glancing back at the frightened man.

"Thank you." She muttered. He nodded minutely and hurried away. Part of her felt badly. She should have acted kindlier towards him- he had just given her back the one piece of the puzzle that would lead her to Akimil. She was in no civil mood though. Knowing the Boy Wonder the little that she did, Lotus was certain that catching her would now be his number one priority. And if Robin wanted her, nowhere in the entire city was safe. Perhaps, though, she could find shelter with someone, if only for a while. It was risky, but the way Lotus saw it, she had no choice.

* * *

"_Cyborg!" _

Four Titans rush through the open door to the horrifying sight of their friend immersed into the very metal of the wall.

Robin reached out to touch his teammate, but hesitated and drew his hand back. "What the hell happened?"

Cyborg shook his head, a snarl on his lips. "Lotus."

Robin's eyes narrowed. "Lotus? But, how-"

"Her powers." Raven cut in, kneeling to examine her trapped friend. "She's a technopath, remember? She probably used her powers to bind Cyborg with the wall. And considering over half of his body is metal…"

Starfire hovered anxiously behind Raven. "How did you get into this predicament? Was she not bound or restrained?"

Robin sighed, shaking his head angrily. "I-I took her handcuffs off after a while. I figured we wouldn't need them anymore."

"I was cleaning her up after her last episode with Robin." Cyborg explained. "We were just talking. She seemed completely docile one moment, and then the next…"

"Friend, how did she come to overpower you?" Starfire asked. "She is but a human."

Cyborg looked away the best he could, his brow furrowing even deeper.

Raven frowned. Something wasn't right. He wasn't telling them everything. She pulled up the hood of her cloak and lightly touched Cyborg's shoulder for a surface read of his emotional well being. What she found dwelling underneath his skin though, was something entirely different. A strong surge of energy pulled her deeper into Cyborg's conscience. She could feel him being pulled in as well. Her eyes slammed shut as she was visited from visions of the prior hour.

_Confrontation…_

_Apology…_

_Kiss…_

_Betrayal…_

_Leaving…_

...

Cyborg's voice echoed towards her from the darkness.

'_Please don't tell. It was a mistake, nothing more.'_

_..._

Raven resurfaced from their mind's connection, air flooding back into her lungs. Her eyes slid open and snapped over to Cyborg. He looked at her, silently pleading, '_Don't tell them.'_ She considered the weakened, distraught man before her. To tell Robin of his momentary weakness would be beyond betrayal. He'd suffered enough without Robin adding to it. She gave him a concealed smile and nod.

"Raven? Something wrong?" Robin asked.

She glanced at him and shook her head. "Nothing at all. However," she stood and faced Robin. "I am wondering how we intend to catch Lotus again, if we have no idea where she went."

"I don't know yet. If we could only figure out where Akimil is, then we'd have everything figured out."

"Find Akimil," Cyborg continued the idea. "find Lotus. She only broke out to get him in the first place."

"Exactly." Robin agreed.

"Well, where do we begin our search?" Starfire asked. She was eager to make up for her transgression early, even if Robin didn't know what that transgression entailed. She set Lotus free, but she wouldn't hesitate to follow her team on the search and apprehend mission to find her again.

"Starfire, inventory the evidence here." He guestured to the scattered papers on the ground left from the earlier spat. "Compare it with the inventory I took of it yesterday. See what's missing, then report back to me."

Starfire nodded, compliant, though somewhat disheartened by the harsh commanding tone his voice held. "Yes, Robin."

The Boy Wonder addressed Raven. "Look in your books for anything on how to reverse this." He put a gloved hand on the wall. "Anything you find, you try."

"I won't guarantee anything. This is Lotus' work, and I'm not entirely sure how she did it. That will make it much harder to undo."

"I don't care." Robin replied. "I want Cyborg out of this wall, by any means."

The empath sunk into the floor, black magic shrouding her. "I'll try."

Beastboy tapped Robin on the shoulder and offered a weak smile. He was still clutching his bleeding arm. "What do you want me to do, Rob?"

"Come with me," Robin said, patting Beastboy on the back. "we're going to wrap up that arm."

* * *

Captain Hughes unlatched and unbolted his door, opening it a crack. "Who is it?" he asked, squinting through the bright morning light.

"Dad."

The middle aged man gasped, dropping the mug of lukewarm coffee he held. It shattered, but he didn't look down. Instead, his eyes widened and he seemed unable to speak for a moment.

"I-I need your help."

That seemed to bring the Captain out of his paralyzed state. He opened the door and hurried her inside, slamming it shut and locking it again when she had entered. He whirled around and pulled her into a big embrace. She blinked, and then returned the hug. He was so warm, and smelled of dried apples and smoke.

"Lotus, my baby girl." he murmured, still clutching her close. Her eyes shone with tears. Lotus hadn't realized how much she missed her father. She pulled away from him, expression desperate.

"Please help me."

He guided her deeper into the house, leading her to a sofa and sitting her down. "Lotus, what's going on? I haven't seen you in days! Just look at you," He tilted her head gently to get a better view of the bright purple bruise blossoming on her cheekbone, as well as her split lip. "You look like you've been put through a meat grinder. And what's this I hear from Base about you staying with the Titans?"

"Not staying. They arrested me."

"Arrested?!" he cried. "Why?"

She looked down, hands fidgeting with her torn shirt. "…I-I needed to do it. I had to."

"Do what?"

"I had to get him."

He began to look concerned. "Get who, sweetheart?"

"That man. The mass murderer. Akimil."

Her father's face paled. "W-What?"

"He killed her." Lotus insisted. "He killed mom all those years ago! I can prove it!"

"Whoa, slow down honey." He gripped her shoulders. "What are you talking about?"

She wriggled an arm from his grip and reached into her pocket, handing him the picture. "I need to know where this is."

He unfolded it carefully, and squinted at the blurry lines. "This looks like…" His breath hitched and he visibly stiffened. He let the picture fall from his fingertips. Shaking, he whispered, "Where did you get this?"

"I stole it. Lotus admitted unabashedly. "From your desk. And I know what it is. So do you."

"You had no right-!"

"I have every right to look for my mother's murderer!" she screamed, standing up. "I _know_ that's the apartment complex she died in, and I _know_ he's there!"

"The mass murderer did not kill your mother." the captain said quietly. "Drugs did."

"I don't care! He still sold them to her!"

"You don't know that."

"Yes, I do! I don't have the time or strength to explain myself, but you _have_ to trust me!"

"I shouldn't even be talking to you!" her father replied. "By what you've told me, you're a fugitive! Which means I should place you back under arrest and give you over to the Titans!"

"Dad," She clutched his hand, begging with him. "Just tell me the address. That's all. I'll walk out of this house, and I won't tell a soul you helped me. _Please._"

He hesitated.

"...How do you know he's in there?"

"Just a feeling."

"You're willing to risk your life on a feeling?"

She smirked halfway. "Aren't we all?"

He couldn't help but smile back. "You always did have her wit…" Bending down, he picked up the picture and pulled a pen out from his robe pocket. He scribbled down the address on the back and handed it to Lotus.

"I really hope you know what you're doing, Lotus." he said.

"I do." She read the script aloud. "252nd Street, Apartment C, Room 42."

"That's where her body was found." he said. "You can start your search there."

"Thank you." She headed towards the door, the picture clenched in her fist. Two strong hands turned her around and pulled her into another warm, enveloping hug. She could hear her father crying, and felt the teardrops fall on the top of her head. Her own eyes shone as well, threatening to overflow.

"Please," he whispered. "be careful."

She buried her head in the folds of his robe and nodded with a barely suppressed sob. "I will."

* * *

**It's been a while, I know! Sorry! School has been hellish- with finals, research papers, testing, not to mention the family stuff I've got going on. I hope it hasn't been too long!  
**

**This chapter is cut into a bunch of small chunks that follow our two groups- the Titans, and Lotus. You'll get a bit of everyone in this.  
**

**So, this chapter sort of starts the beginning of the end. I'm thinking in a few more chapters, this will be finished.**

**Thanks for your reviews, and keep them coming!  
**


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